Two relegations in two years! Why he still costs 100 million | OneFootball

Two Premier League relegations in two years are not exactly the best argument when it comes to signing a player for close to €100 million. Eight years ago, that kind of money could still get you a Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Even by today’s standards, Matheus Fernandes’ transfer to Tottenham Hotspur sounds like a wild EA FC career mode storyline or a glitch in the Matrix. For the 22-year-old, though, it’s reality.

So why are Spurs shelling out such a massive fee for a player relegated in back-to-back seasons instead of choosing a more pragmatic, far cheaper option? After all, they could have signed loan player João Palhinha permanently or gone for more affordable alternatives.

But we live in an era in which £80 to £100 million in the English top flight is no longer paid for the finished global superstar, but for potential and a tailor-made fit within a system. After the astronomical sums spent on Declan Rice, Moisés Caicedo, and Enzo Fernández, the price for top-class “engine room” players has completely exploded.

📸 Leonardo Fernandez - 2026 Getty Images

In a league that is financially playing in its own Super League, clubs pay the absolute premium surcharge for an established Premier League interface talent. Then there is Spurs’ delicate situation: after two disastrous 17th-place finishes in a row and narrowly avoiding relegation, a rebuild was non-negotiable. New head coach Roberto De Zerbi did not want a purely destructive ball-winner like Palhinha, but a genuine Swiss Army knife for his vertical possession game.

Anyone who even partly blames Fernandes for West Ham’s relegation is missing the point. The Portuguese midfielder was the only bright spot in a completely shaken Hammers side. In data circles, there is a rule: poor team results often hide elite individual performances.

The stats from the 2025/26 season show impressively why top clubs like Real Madrid and Manchester United were reportedly interested. While Elliot Anderson is moving to Manchester City this summer as the most sought-after midfielder for more than €135 million, Fernandes is putting up stats at an absolutely comparable elite level.

With 180 duels won, he ranked third in the league. With 67 tackles, Fernandes also finished third in the entire Premier League — even ahead of Anderson (63, 5th place). But he is by no means just a ball-winner: his 23 accurate switches of play rank fourth in the league. On top of that, the Portuguese covered 279.3 kilometers — ninth among all midfielders in England’s top division. 

His former assistant coach at Southampton, Simon Rusk, explained those exceptional numbers to 'Sky Sports UK' like this: "It’s no surprise that his duel numbers are extremely high. Both in conversations with him and by watching him on the pitch, I could see that this was going to become a central part of his game — and a strength."

The fact that Fernandes is even posting these defensive and physical stats is down to a role change of his own. Russell Martin, his coach at Southampton at the time, originally saw him as an attacking No. 10. Rusk recalls: "When I spoke to Matty, it quickly became clear that he saw himself more as an all-round midfielder, more as a number eight. That also benefited the defensive side of his game. What Matty wanted was this: he wanted to run. He wanted to be involved in the game as much as possible."

It was exactly this all-round profile that hypnotized Spurs coach Roberto De Zerbi. Instead of tying Palhinha down permanently — a player who wins the ball defensively but is limited in possession — De Zerbi wanted to build a midfield that no longer buckles under pressure.

De Zerbi underlined his enthusiasm in an interview with the club’s own media: "I have admired Mateus for a long time because he combines quality on the ball with the intensity and game intelligence that are so important for our style of play."

For the Italian, Fernandes is the perfect centerpiece at 22 years old: "Despite his young age, he already has good Premier League experience and has shown quality and consistency at this level. Mateus stays calm under pressure, can carry the ball forward, works hard for the team, and has the courage to make things happen in difficult moments."

In today’s fast-fashion football world, personality and adaptability often decide whether a player becomes a success or a flop. Despite the disappointment of two relegations, Fernandes showed incredible maturity. Rusk especially values his ability to take things on board: "The best players I have ever worked with learn quickly. You tell them something and it clicks immediately. I compare that with many players who have gone all the way to the very top of the world game."

A €100 million signing from the bottom of the table may generate memes on social media. But Fernandes’ qualities and De Zerbi’s football philosophy could make sure Tottenham get back on the road to success. And these days, that simply comes at a price. 

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.

📸 Richard Pelham - 2026 Getty Images